Choices
by awesomeinhumanfrom
Summary: Naruto has loved Sakura all his life, but there comes a time when love isn't enough to keep a relationship alive. Especially when it is one-sided. Naruto moves on and finds he loves someone he didn't expect, Hinata. Sakura, however, wants revenge. And when she teams up with someone who wants revenge even more than she does, Konoha itself is at risk.
1. Chapter 1

Naruto

Sakura's big green eyes flashed with her typical anger as she slurped down the slushie in front of her.I could not think of anything I had done to offend her, and her constant random anger was becoming annoying. I almost laughed when I remembered how I had once found this anger attractive and alluring. That time seemed like a lifetime ago. I was a foolish kid back then, not realizing that a woman so caught up in her own hatred for a world that had done nothing to her could not move on. She could not find love without letting go of her hatred. Staring into those angry green eyes only strengthened my resolve.I could not ever have a life with her. I had to move on, it was the only way to find my own happiness.


	2. Chapter 2

Sakura

Naruto stared into my eyes, a sad look on his face. I glared into his, anger filling me to the point the tips of my fingers prickled with hatred. I silently prayed the dumb jerk would do something I could punch him had better pay for my slushie, he was lucky that I would agree to go on this incredibly lame date with him. Let me get this straight, the only reason I was hanging out with Naruto was because he had gotten so popular lately, and that made me popular by association. A group of girls were pointing at Naruto and giggling and whispering, looking as though they longed to be where I sat. I smiled, being at the center of attention and jealousy made my heart leap for joy. Maybe I should date the pathetic excuse for a man sitting across from me to get this attention more often. A sly smile spread across my face. I could date Naruto until Sasuke came home! It was a good enough plan, and there was no way it could fail. Naruto was a total sucker, he was practically begging to be taken advantage of. Of course, Sasuke would be the new hit when he came home so I would stay popular! If he wasn't, I could just stick with Naruto. The plan was so good some of my anger dissolved.I grinned at the blonde boy siting across from me, the only thought on my mind was that his hair color certainly fit the amount of brains that he had.


	3. Chapter 3

Naruto

Trying to tell a childhood crush who recently agreed to go out with you that you are no longer interested in them as anything more than friends is about the hardest thing you can imagine. How was I supposed to begin? I had been watching my orange slushie melt as I thought, nearly forgetting that Sakura sat across from me. When I looked up I was surprised to see Sakura looking straight at look on her face made me nervous. She had something up her sleeve. I felt almost as though I had stepped into battle, only I believed that this had the potential to be far more life-threatening. Suddenly it clicked that I hadn't told her that I had no interest in her anymore. So why was she giving me that look? I cleared my throat and looked up into the bright summer sky, begging the Lord Almighty for the right words. Once more I looked into those hateful emerald eyes.

"Sakura, I don't know how to tell you what I am feeling." I murmured, not sure how else to start. I sat back in my chair and closed my eyes for a second. Then I leaned forward abruptly grabbing my slushie and gulping it down all in one big motion. She stared at me, and that smile remained pasted to her face. She only gave that smile when she was lying. She had lied too many times before.

"Is it love? I will go out with you, Naruto!" The excitement in her eyes competed with the anger that was always there, that hatred for life that never left. One day, it would kill her. I hoped that day never came, or that she could learn to control the anger before it overwhelmed her completely. Her personality or obsessive need for attention may never allow the day to come when she could truly be a person, living by what she thought and not what society or her peers thought. I had to do it, say the inevitable.

"Sakura, I have something important that I have to tell you. You dwell to much on the little things. You are over-all to angry to even function without hitting or otherwise abusing someone else. I used to think that was cute, but I have grown up now. I have realized something very important. You can't live angry! Look what it did to Sasuke, and it will do that to you. The anger controls you Sakura, and I am honestly sick and tired of being its victim. Maybe it will consume you, and maybe not. I don't know what will happen to you, but in this world, a world that has over-all treated you kindly, you have no right to be so freaking hateful!" I paused for a second, looking at Sakura but not seeing her. Then I stood up to walk away. I had been too harsh, most likely. However, she has been walking over me for years and now it was over.


	4. Chapter 4

Sakura.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no! This was not-no-could not be happening to me! The anger that flowed through my body numbed me and I turned it to chakra because there was too much of it for me to handle. My whole body shook with the anger as I stood. I glared at him for a moment, then punched through the table and into the ground.

"NOOOOOO!" I screamed. The tears that slid down my face made me feel as though I was twelve again, begging Sasuke not to leave for Orochimaru in the night. No, he would not leave me the way Sasuke had, it would be my way! MY WAY! Naruto's face suddenly became stern and angry. He threw his arm up in a wide gesticulation.

"Do you see what I mean, Sakura!? The anger is already completely controlling you! I was probably blunter that I needed to be, but you still reacted like this! You completely smashed that table!" He yelled at me. Naruto had never yelled at me, at least not like that. I wiped the tears from my face as he walked off, angry as ever. The tears would not stop, especially when I heard the girls who were giggling at Naruto earlier laughing at me. My life was ruined! I began sobbing as I hurried home, ignoring the lady who yelled at me about her broken table.


	5. Chapter 5

Naruto

I had expected to feel guilty or depressed after I told Sakura how I felt. Instead, I felt only relieve, like I should have done that a while ago. A smile spread across my face as my mind drifted to the happy side of my brain, far away from the side that Sakura had occupied ever since Sasuke had left the village. Ramen, training, missions, awesome friends, pretty girls, ramen, becoming hokage, daydreams. All the awesome stuff that life has to give you. So why did I feel like something was missing? I shook my head, as if I could shake the thought that something was missing out of my life and my thoughts. But it didn't go away and it left me pondering as to what, exactly, was missing. Was it family? No, Iruka and Kakashi-sensei were family enough. Was it Sasuke? Yes, but no. Sasuke wasn't what was missing right now. Something specific...as I pondered I closed my eyes, walking down the street without a care i the world, not paying a lick of attention to my surroundings. Then I felt myself trip over something, someone letting out a shriek. I opened my eyes quickly, to find myself tangled with what I had tripped over. Excuse me, who I had tripped over. She looked into my eyes for a moment, and it felt like someone had put a pause button on my life. Then she was turning away and breaking the eye contact quickly, hiding her face. What had just happened?


	6. Chapter 6

Hinata

I felt like puking, I was so nauseous, but I would probably pass out first. Thank the Lord! I don't think I could puke in front of Naruto and live on to see tomorrow. My face was crimson and I was glad I had hid to where Naruto-kun couldn't see me. He probably thought I was a weirdo, or something worse! No, Naruto-kun would never think so horribly about anybody, at least not the Naruto-kun I know and love. I couldn't think straight after being so heartwarmingly close to Naruto-kun. I knew that I should probably turn and ask him if he was alright, but I was too shy to even talk to him. So I just sat there instead, waiting for something to happen and wishing I had the guts to talk to him. Wishing that I could flirt with him. Knowing that I couldn't was almost to painful to accept. Wait, I should not just sit down and accept this! I would turn around and talk to him, ask him if he wanted to go to lunch with me! Yes! I could at least try. I turned around to face him, opening my mouth to try and talk to him. I was interrupted before I could even speak.

"Hey Hinata-chan!" Naruto said with a cheery smile on his face. I blushed a shade of red that went past crimson and into some new color of its own. "Oh...sorry. Was that too forward or something?" He stared at me with those gorgeous blue eyes and I could barely breathe. I tried to respond.

"Well...I-um...it is-um...ok, I guess?" I managed to mutter. The saddest part of it all was that I was actually proud of myself for being able to reply. He smiled at me and my heart skipped a beat. Warmth filled me and I felt bubbly inside.

"Hey, Hinata-chan, do you want to go get some lunch or something?" He said to me with a wink. For a moment I was sure I was hallucinating and that someone needed to put me in a straight-jacket and a padded cell, lock the door, and throw away the key. Then I saw him patiently staring at me. I felt my face turn into some totally new color that would probably be named after me. I had to be cool, or funny, or cute, anything! But I could not mess this up!

"Ye-yes! I would...um...really..." I couldn't finish my sentence, and luckily I didn't have to. Naruto-kun grabbed my hand and pulled me off down the street. I didn't feel like I was walking, though, I felt like I was flying.


	7. Chapter 7

Naruto

I smiled as I walked down the street, holding hands with Hinata, a girl I didn't completely understand. She was so shy and always blushing, but there was something special about her. Maybe it was that she was so kind. I had never seen her angry, and that was a breath of fresh air! She was also so quiet, but she soaked up every word like a sponge. It was nice to have someone who could listen to me. To be honest, that was the main reason for the date. I wanted someone to listen to me, someone to talk to. Hinata was the perfect person, I was lucky to have bumped into her on the street. Literally speaking. Anyhow, that may have been the main reason, but not the only reason. Part of moving on meant spending time with other people. Hinata definitely counted. Plus, the girl had most definitely changed. Yes, she had gotten stronger and, even though I didn't know it was possible, kinder, but there was a few big changes that had really hooked me and reeled me in. Sure, she may have been pretty before, but pretty bloomed to gorgeous over the time period I was gone. Long dark hair, big purple eyes, full lips, impossibly long legs, unbelievable curves. In her normal training outfit, I hadn't noticed, but in the sundress she wore I could do nothing but notice.I blushed a little at that, but what was I supposed to do? I was male, after all. if she caught me looking, that was my excuse. Of course, I don't think Hinata would be the kind of person to beat me up over it. Both literally and figuratively. My grin stretched even bigger across my face, I was already liking spending time around Hinata more than Sakura and she hadn't said a word. I almost didn't realize I was humming.


	8. Chapter 8

Hinata

Naruto-kun kept looking at me, making my blush turn redder and redder. I silently wondered if he was trying to make me blush on purpose, then giggled at the idea.

"What?" He asked, that hilarious grin stretched across his face.

"You keep looking at me!" I said while giggling. The realization I hadn't stammered hit me a second later. He blushed and started laughing the laugh that made my heart want to explode.

"You caught me! Sorry, I couldn't help it, you look pretty in that, and I am male." He shrugged. We both laughed at ourselves and the awkwardness of the whole situation until we were both as red as fire hydrants, as if I wasn't red beforehand. "Ya know what, Hinata? You are a lot of fun! Thanks for not getting all mad." I stared at him with my mouth hanging open as I tried to process what he had just said. Naruto-kun thought I was fun? I had just managed to have a successful conversation with Naruto-kun? He just thanked me!?I felt very nauseous right then, I needed to sit down. I swayed to the left and could barely ear Naruto.

"Careful!" He yelled swiping me up really quick and swinging me into his arms. "You okay there?" I stared into his amazingly blue eyes and felt myself begin to lose consciousness, the blackness slowly filling my eyes and Naruto-kun calling my name.


	9. Chapter 9

Naruto

I waited as Hinata lay with her eyes closed. She was so serene...so beautiful. I had hurried to the restaurant as soon as she passed out and when I got there the man behind the counter had laid out some chairs for Hinata to lay across, the trail of chairs ending with her head on my lap. Staring down at herslleping face, I realized that I felt right. Like the missing something was there. Once again, I shook my head, crazy ideas begone! But maybe my idea wasn't so crazy. I brushed my hand along her face. I was surprised by how soft her face was, like silk against my hand. Her purple eyes fluttered open and she stared deep into my eyes. I felt like she could see into my soul, even though she didn't have byakugan on. I stared back and once more the pause button slammed down on our lives, stopping everyone around us just so Hinata and I could stare into each other's eyes. And, just like earlier, Hinata pressed the play buton by sitting up.

"Th-thank you Naruto-kun...for..um...watch-wacthing me when I fainted." She blushed and looked down, then looked into my eyes again, then at the ground once more. I heard the man who had helped me with the chairs laugh. I turned and looked at him. He was grinning and shaking his head.

"Nothing like young love." He said. For a moment I wanted to just let him say that, but Hinata's face turned red so I knew I had to say something. My face was bright red, and I couldn't remember a time when I had blushed so much in one day

"It's-it's not like that!" I said quickly. "It is just a date-I mean..." I gave up at trying to explain.

"Yeah, but you wish it was more, don't ya boy?" The man said with a chuckle. I sighed and didn't say a word. I copied Hinata and looked at the ground. "Oh, come on ya two! Ya got to learn to take some teasing if you two want to last as a couple!" I laughed at that. I wanted to be a couple, but I didn't think Hinata did. Well, you know what they say. You only live once.

"I wanna, but I am not sure about Hinata." Admitting that made me feel better, even if she was going to bluntly reject me. She let out a small squeak and looked as though she was going to pass out again. "Head in between the knees!" I yelled as I pushed her head down. The man behind the counter brought out ice water and a fan. I fanned Hinata and held the ice water while we waited for her to recover. When she finally sat up we handed her the ice water. She sucked it down then asked for another and I intensely wished we were at a ramen store. I was starving, but when Hinata fainted I ran to the first open store available. Guess you can't have everything, but seeing how my day had changed you could have a lot. From Sakura the table-smasher to Hinata the easily nauseous. Except I was sick of Sakura's company and I wished there was some way that I would never see her again. But there wasn't, she was on my team after all. I looked over at my date. It was time to ask the inevitable.

"Will you go out with me, Hinata-chan?" For a second I thought she was going to faint again, then she looked at me with some sort of resolve in those passionate purple eyes. She was going to turn me down, most likely. Just be friends. That was okay, after years of crushing on Sakura I had learned not to give up in the field of love. I almost full-out laughed at the irony. Don't give up as I gave up on dating or maybe a life with Sakura just this morning. My attention was quickly drawn back to Hinata when she began talking.

"Naruto-kun, I...um, well...have...so, you know...I love you..." She muttered, some parts of her mini-speech completely unintelligible.

"Is that a yes?" I asked her. I just prayed I didn't seem desperate, I learned girls hated desperate. She giggled and looked into my eyes. Then I realized what it was about Hinata, not the kindness(though that was VERY important), not the beauty, not even the eyes. She was deep. Every girl I knew, take Sakura for example, were shallow as a pond. Hinata was deeper than the ocean. She was her own person, different from everyone else. Not a care in the world as to what the crowd was doing. That amazing, spectacular, rare trait was what was special about Hinata.

"I-it is indeed a ye-yes." She said amongst giggles. The man behind the counter started clapping.

"At long last! Thank you two for putting an old man out of his misery." We all three started laughing and I felt Hinata put her hand on mine.


	10. Chapter 10

Hinata

I had never felt so happy in my life. Was I in bed asleep? Could this really be happening? It couldn't be a dream, though, because this time would never end if it was. When I looked out the window I saw a stunning sunset painting the sky.

"What are you looking at, Hinata-chan?" Naruto-kun asked, then he looked out the window. The sunset reflecting in those already perfect eyes was almost too much for me to handle. My heart leaped for joy and love.

"I-it is get-getting to be so...um...late." I said while still looking at Naruto's face. One thought was on my mind: Naruto was the most amazing person I've been lucky enough to meet. I have thought that thought ever since Naruto and I had begun at ninja academy. My, how things have changed.

"You know what, Hinata-chan? I have something to show you." He said before grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the door. "No peeking!" I quickly obeyed and shut my eyes. As we walked the only thing I could focus on was how warm Naruto-kun's hand was. And how soft. And how gentle. Each thought made me blush until I was sure that my face could be featured in the sunset as one of the exquisite reds. If only such a red looked good on a face.

"You can look now!" Naruto said and when I opened my eyes I looked out at the whole village. The sky had beautiful pinks, reds, and oranges slathered across it.

"Wow..it-it's beautiful.." My voice trailed off as I stared into the sky. One hand in his and the other covering my mouth. My heart skipped a beat when I realized he took me up here because he saw me looking at the sunset. I turned and looked at him and the sunset couldn't compare with the beauty of the person standing next to me. All the hard things he had faced in his life and he still only thought of others. The love that filled me overwhelmed me and I couldn't stop myself from leaping forward and hugging him.

"I love you, Naruto!" I almost didn't process what I had just done. I looked at his face once I let go of him. "I-I'm sorry." I said, so embarrassed that I could just go die.

"Don't be...it's just that...no one has ever said that to me before." His face looked distant for a second, then he turned to me and smiled the smile that got me every time I saw it. Then he sat on the grass, patting the spot next to him. I sat down and laid my head on his shoulder, watching the sunset with a smile permanently stuck to my face.


	11. Chapter 11

Naruto

As I sat in the grass, Hinata's head on my shoulder, I felt unbelievably good. Someone loved me, and it was the girl sitting next to me. If that was true, it sure explained some of the ways she had acted over the years. I smiled and put my arm around her, wishing the sunset would never end. But all things must come to an end, good, bad, even perfect. What was happening here fit every definition of perfect I had ever heard. As good as it could possibly be. The more explicit side of my brain took that as a challenge and felt responsible to give me a mental image of how it could be better. I almost groaned at that, my brain never gave me a break. I closed my eyes and tried to focus on Hinata. And the sunset. And at least an attempt to be romantic. I opened my mouth to say something, then realized that saying something might ruin the moment. The sunset was almost over. Maybe I should ask Hinata if she wanted me to walk her home. If I did that, however, I would have to face the angry overprotective dad or Neji. I prayed to The Lord Almighty that the angry overprotective dad was home and waiting for Hinata. Please not Neji, anyone but Neji! I would take the whole Akatsuki waiting to jump me over Neji. My chance of survival would probably be higher, as sad as that sounded.

"Naruto-kun, I should probably go home before dark." Her small voice rose up and caught my attention.

"Don't worry! I'll walk you home!" I said back to her, my more gentlemanly side showing through. I didn't realize that someone could train with Jariya and still have that side to them, but I had proven it to be possible.

"Are you sure? Neji-kun is home today." Her voice seemed to question the guts I had to stand up to Neji. I could do this! He wasn't THAT scary. At least I hope so...

"Since I took you on a date it is my job as the boyfriend to take you home! Am I right?" I said, nudging her shoulder. All I got was a blush so intense it glowed in the dark and a nod. "Alright! Let's get moving then!" I grabbed her hand and picked up the pace, dragging her along until she caught up and ran along beside me, laughing into the fading sunset as we ran down the street.


	12. Chapter 12

Hinata

I laughed and then couldn't stop laughing! This day was to good to end now. I didn't want it to end at all, and since it was slipping between my fingers I would enjoy every last moment of this perfect day that was left! I laughed and laughed and barely noticed when Naruto-kun joined in. We laughed as we ran up to my house and then it all stopped abruptly. There sat Neji, surrounded by nearly every weapon imaginable, byakugan on his face. He was so mad he put Sakura to shame, and that girl was a rhino that never stopped charging at anything and everything. Suddenly the happiness of the day was sucked up by Neji's anger and every part of me was filled with fear when he turned that hateful glare on me.

"I..um...Naruto, th-thanks. Bye." I managed to stammer.

"Yeah, it-it was a lot of fu-fun. Se-see you to-tomorrow." Naruto said before he attempting a hasty retreat. I didn't blame him, if I could leave I would already be long gone .Neji glared at Naruto's back in such a way I thought Naruto would either turn to ice or spontaneously combust.

"Not so fast, Naruto." Neji growled in a voice so low and predator-like I felt as though my blood had turned to ice. I shivered and hugged myself. "Let's have a little talk, Naruto. Hinata, please go inside." I ran inside as if the devil himself was chasing me and didn't stop until I was in my room. Guilt from leaving Naruto-kun to face Neji alone filled me and I wished I had stayed with him. Instead I sat in my room praying that Neji didn't come up and maul me with his fury next. I curled up on my bed and closed my eyes, silently wishing that Neji was a gentle, easy-going person. I prayed that he wouldn't kill Naruto or hurt him beyond repair. What an excellent end to our date. Our amazing, incredible, unbelievably perfect date. Our date that was more than worth Neji's ridiculous overprotectiveness. Our date that I prayed we could have again. Okay, maybe Naji's fury is reasonable considering I showed up after dark. I giggled and closed my eyes, thinking about only one thing. Naruto.


	13. Chapter 13

Naruto

I walked slowly back to my house, wondering how I was still breathing. All Neji had done was literally tell me that I better never touch Hinata sexually, even think about that, or he would kill me in the night. Then he said he was letting me off with that warning and that I better respect Hinata. Then he said if I hurt her he would rip me to pieces and do unimaginably painful things that I knew he was capable of and didn't want to think about. Let's just say that I will never look at a saw blade the same way. But, even after that talk, I want to date Hinata. That I knew and I would've told Neji if he hadn't been polishing that sword and looking at me with that look that makes a pack of starving hyenas look like playful kittens who nipped a little too much. I shivered and hurried home, trying to shake Neji and I's little conversation out of my head. I heated up some ramen and thought about today. It started out with talking to Sakura, who I should've talked to a long time ago. Then I bumped into Hinata. I smiled as I relived everything that had happened today in my mind. There was nothing Neji could do to make me regret Hinata and I's date. It was the most fun I've had in a while. Maybe my whole life. That was probably killing Neji, the fact that he couldn't make either of us regret our date. I laughed at Neji and slurped down my delicious ramen in celebration of today's victory: the date with Hinata.


	14. Chapter 14

Sakura

I sat up in my room, pitying myself. This was pretty much the only day I had off of work and it was terrible! Naruto had to be a completely dumb jerkwad and ruin my whole day! The whole event must have spread through the gossip grapeline to Ino by now. Ino was the last person I wanted knowing this news. I had seen her and Shikamaru walking along earlier today, laughing and holding hands. The flowers she had pressed against her chest were so beautiful and jealousy had accompanied the anger that prickled through me immediately. I hate her! She was so dumb and ugly, so why do so many boys like her? Tears streaked my face once more as I started the pity party from the top. I needed to break something! There was no way this day could get worse, and if it did I might as well just die now. What was the point of living a boyfriendless, over-all unpopular life?! I screamed and broke my desk in half with one punch, then threw it through the wall. I had to get out of this house! I snatched up my stress ball and squished it until it broke with one rage-filled, overly aggressive squeeze. I threw it aside and stormed out into the street, ignoring the fact that it was dark outside. I didn't know where I was going or what I was going to do, all I knew was that I was mad and someone was going to suffer for it. My eyes scanned the empty streets of Konoha and I wished that I had laser vision so I could burn down all of these worthless houses. There was a full moon hanging over me in the sky, careless without a trouble in the world. It had no idea how lucky it was. Anger fueled me and I punched the ground. Then I pulled out a chunk of sidewalk and threw it at the moon.

"SCREW YOU!" I yelled at the moon which seemed to be taunting me now. It seemed like everyone was in some competition to see who could ruin my life first. They were all doing a magnificent job. I hate everyone on this dumb planet. If only I had been stronger...than I could have left the village with Sasuke four years ago. I wouldn't have had to go through all this. I collapsed to the ground and shook with my tears. I barely noticed the hunk of sidewalk barreling toward me and I didn't have the will to move when I did notice it. I just watched it, hurtling towards me. Even the anger was better than the emptiness that came with thinking of Sasuke. The hunk of sidewalk smashed in the ground about five feet away from me. So close...the tears resumed as anger heated my body once more.

"SASUKE WHY!?" I screamed into the night once more. I was so alone. No one seemed to care about me...


	15. Chapter 15

Sasuke

The fury of the night circled around me and reflected my own emotions. I was alone now, the way I like it. The taka were gone and with them they took the unnecessary emotions of happiness and trust. You could trust none but yourself in this sick, empty world. The only thing that existed was hatred, and the night was its realm. The wind rustled my hair as I stared at Konoha, the streets empty of life. It was beautiful, it would be even more so when it was heated and burned to ashes with the fire of my cruel but fair revenge. I jumped down into the forest, staring at the darkness around me, the tree I had been standing on was swishing with the wind. How good it was to be alone at long last. Alone with the hatred I had for this unreasonably cruel world. I closed my eyes and let the hatred overwhelm me until I breathed anger in place of air. What torture it was to come to this place when I was not yet strong enough to destroy it. Even if I was, I must first destroy Naruto. As I should have done years ago when I had won the battle. What a fool I had been to let him live. But that was years ago and now my blood boiled with the anger and determination it would take to exact revenge against Konoha for my brother as well as my clan. Yes, I could indeed beat Naruto if it came down to it, for the sake of my clan and my honor I would defeat the nine tails if it was the death of me. A wicked smile claimed my face and I let the smell of the forest mixed with revenge that would come in the future occupy my thoughts. Then I heard it, a scream of anguish and torture. Emotional, naturally. I smiled and began to walk towards the source of the wonderful sound. The smile faded from my face when I saw what the source was. A broken soul, indeed, but a soul I knew in a life before the hatred claimed my clan, my brother, and my soul. Indeed, it most certainly was a person most recognizable. She didn't see me yet and I took the moment to study her. Sakura Haruno. Shrieking into the night. Something I thought I would never be lucky enough to see. The tears flowed from her eyes from the place she must have collapsed on the ground.

"Sakura Haruno. What a hideous surprise." My cold voice managed to convince her to finally notice me. She turned to me and opened her mouth in shock. She just stared for a moment, disbelief so obvious on her face. That disbelief almost made seeing part of my old life stand able. I should kill her here as a sign to Naruto. Write a note to him using her blood. It was a rather crude thing to do, but it got the message across. "Sakura, would you come here?" I asked. She had never been street smart and probably didn't notice my hand resting on my hilt. She may be so dumb that she would come over to me. That would be far easier than being forced to chase her about. But for some reason she didn't move, instead sitting there and staring at me.

"This reminds me of when we were younger. It is the same place, after all." She said, still looking at me with an unreadable expression. I looked about and it was indeed the same place. The bench, the trash can, the wore-down sidewalk. It still even had that earthy smell that I secretly loved. I glared at her. Bringing up memories wouldn't change a thing.

"Why don't you come here?" I asked, soothing my voice down so it was silky and convincing.

"Can I go with you this time? I have gotten stronger and I can help you fight or heal you when you are hurt or something!" Her voice was worried as if she knew what my answer was already. There was no way I would let her come with me just to slow me down.

"Yes, you can come with me Sakura." The lie felt good coming out, how wonderful it was to lie. Even better was when the recipient of the lie believed it. Sakura had never failed me before.

"You lie, Sasuke. You think I am too foolish to see that you lie so easily and happily but I know that that is only a lie without meaning. You are planning on killing me, aren't you? That is why your hand hasn't left you sword's hilt. You are going to kill me as a message for Naruto, correct? Well guess what! Naruto doesn't care about me anymore so you are only wasting your time. Why don't you just kill me and end my misery and anger. I couldn't put up much of a fight against you even if I was strong enough to actually take you on. So what is it? The same as last time, my death, or are you taking me with you? All I know is that it will be one of those three." Her words bit and I was surprised to learn that she had read into my lie like that. But one word caught my attention and clamped on to it exclusively. Anger. Since when had Sakura been angry? Sure she lashed out but anger was different with the way she said it.

"What do you mean by anger, wench?" I growled. If she should dare claim to feel what I feel inside I would end her here and now. In the most painful way I could think of, which involved my sword which reflected the moonlight when I drew it out of its sheath.

"I MEAN ANGER, SASUKE! DO YOU THINK YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE TO FEEL IT?!" She dared to shout at me and tears streamed like waterfalls down her face. Sharingan painted my black eyes with red and gave power to my anger.

"Say your prayers. Don't worry, no one will miss you too much." I growled as I walked over, feeling no need to hurry since she wasn't going anywhere. I grabbed a handful of pink hair, wet with her tears. As I brought my sword up into the air I noticed something in those emerald eyes I didn't expect to see. Something I saw every time I looked in the mirror. Clouds of anger and hatred. The only two true emotions. And who would expect to see them so alive in Sakura's eyes? This girl had a family, friends, anything she wanted. Why was she angry and hateful?

"I'm not what you think I am Sasuke." She said to me, wind once more blowing through the area and driving my hair nuts.

"It would seem so, Sakura." And with that I sheathed my sword and walked back into the words, pondering the meaning of what I had just seen.


	16. Chapter 16

Sakura

The anger that coursed through my veins wasn't just mine. It was Sasuke's too. We shared the anger, anger that belonged to both of us. Could I stay in Konoha knowing this? For now, I had to. There was no other choice. I stood up and wiped at my face. I had work tomorrow and had to get some sleep at least. I managed to drag myself back towards the house, pondering why Sasuke had been here and why he hadn't killed me. I should probably go and tell the hokage, Tsunade. But that didn't feel right. As payment for him letting me live I went back to my house silently. The moonlight guided me to my house and the night didn't feel eerie, but serene. As if I had found my own form of peace. I smiled, how nice it was to have seen Sasuke. Now, looking in the reflection of one of the shops mirrors I tidied myself up. I smoothed down my hair, wiped the dirt from my skirt, and scrubbed off the tears. Then, in the top right corner of the window's reflection I noticed a figure of some sort. I whipped around to see Sasuke staring at me as he stood on the roof of a looked as manly and attractive as ever, silhouetted by the moonlight and a regal shape that punctured the darkness of the night. I blinked and when my eyes opened again he was gone. What did he think he was, a ninja? I continued walking towards my home in the romantic moonlight. I felt like a little girl again, the belief that there were happy endings and that fairy tails were true flooded my heart and I hoped to see Sasuke watching me again like a silent protector of the night or a prince to come steal me away. I was almost disappointed to reach my house with no more drama from Sasuke. I hoped mom was asleep, but much to my horror the moment I stepped in the yelling commenced. I ran towards my room and tried not to listen, anger prickling through me and begging me to argue with her. No, the anger didn't beg, it told. I was commanded to argue with my incredibly annoying mom. Instead I ran upstairs into the bathroom, beginning my shower water and preparing myself for bed. The only thing I could think about was Sasuke. Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke! I had to tell someone, this wasn't the type of thing a girl could stay quiet about! But who? Oh! Hinata!


	17. Chapter 17

Naruto

Light trickled through my window and stirred me from my sleep. I woke with a yawn and was surprised to find myself on the floor twisted in the blanket in such a way that I couldn't escape.

"Aaagh!" I screeched as I ended up breaking myself free and ripping my last good blanket."Aww, man." I said to the remains of a perfectly good blanket. But one could only mourn for a blanket for so long so I moved on, starting the water and pulling the ramen out of the counter for cooking. Then I heard a knock on my door. "One second!" I yelled and then I hurried towards the door, forgetting I was in my pajamas. "Hello?" I said as I opened the door to see Hinata.

"Naruto-kun, we need to talk." Hinata said, worry tracing her voice.

"What's wrong?" I asked, worried that it was something to do with our relationship.

"Here, I brought you some leftovers from the breakfast I made this morning. It is not much, but I did my best and I hope you enjoy Naruto-kun." She said. Then I realized something was off. She wasn't stuttering.

"Hinata, what happened?" I asked, grabbing her arm. That got a blush from her. At least I knew it was Hinata now.

"It-it's Sakura. She called me this morning before she went to the hospital to work. She asked me not to tell anyone, but she said she wanted to tell me because she trusted me to keep a secret. Sasuke visited her last night. He talked to her. She wouldn't tell me what he said, but something happened, and I am worried for her. I didn't know who to tell so I had to come ask you what to do." She looked up at me with big eyes filled with worry. What was Sasuke doing here? Why would he be bothering Sakura? You would think he would kill her, but he must have some sort of plan. What was going on here? I looked straight into Hinata's eyes and was incredibly thankful that he didn't talk to her. A shiver ran through me at the thought of Sasuke smiling at a fearful Hinata, his hate-filled eyes studying her. The very thought filled me with anger and disgust, and I felt as protective of her as Neji.

"Do you think Sakura will be okay? What should we do?" Hinata's shy voice had a strong edge to it that made my heart skip a beat.

"We should go talk to Sakura and demand she tell us what happened." I said to Hinata's hopeful face. For a moment she nodded, then she looked as though she remembered something very important.

"Sakura doesn't know I to-told you Naruto-kun." She said with a worried look on her face.

"Don't worry! It will be okay! And you can just call me Naruto, Hinata." I smiled at her and winked. She beamed at me and then nodded in agreement to my plan even though she may lose Sakura's friendship for doing the right thing. The world could be a truly unfair place.


	18. Chapter 18

Sakura

I was exhausted when I trudged into work and could barely function. Luckily, the hospital wasn't all to busy and Ino had came in early to get a head start. She was hoping to get off work early, she had a date.

"Who are you going out with?" I asked her, she smiled back at me and giggled before revealing her boyfriend.

"Shikamaru. He asked me out about a week ago and he always brings me flowers!" She giggled as she flipped the side bang out of her face. I giggled with her and congratulated her, ignoring the anger and jealousy that built up inside me. I wished I could tell her about Sasuke, but I had already told Hinata and I promised myself to only tell one person. Plus, Ino wouldn't believe me anyway and she would just spread down the gossip chain. Shikamaru and her had been flirting for their whole lives, so it would figure that they would probably end up together. Who cares, anyway? Shikamaru wasn't as popular as Sasuke and he wasn't as cute either. Ino still grinned and her face seemed almost smug to me. I turned back to my work.

"So what happened between you and Naruto the other day?" Ino asked, her big blue eyes framed with long dark eyelashes seeming to pry into me.

"Oh, nothing." I lied to her as easily as Sasuke had lied to me just last night. She shrugged.

"Not what I heard. I heard you two were sitting together and started arguing and he left and you started crying and punched a table." She said, raising her eyebrows. Those blue eyes boring into me filled me with anger that was about to overflow. I could lose it at any time.

"Gossip is like the telephone game. Crazy things can happen to the end result when it goes through too many people." I said before walking over to the patient. I pulled out my scalpel and Ino hurried to my side to assist me in the surgery.


	19. Chapter 19

Hinata

Naruto and I rushed towards the hospital. I didn't know what Naruto's plan was, all I knew was that I had to trust him. Sasuke returning to the village was a big deal for Naruto and he was probably very upset. Well, not probably. Certainly. I sighed as I selfishly wished today was as magical as yesterday was. But not all things could be my way and any time with Naruto was magical. If only he looked as happy as he had looked yesterday...I picked up the pace and Naruto and I sprinted side by side towards the hospital Sakura worked at. We barged and ran towards the lady at the front desk. She had a huge nose that emerged from her face like a mountain.

"Do you know where Sakura Haruno is?" Naruto demanded.

"Is she a patient, a doct-"

"Medical ninja!"

"Emergency room."

"Alright! Thanks lady!"

"Um...you are not allowed back there. Civilians are not permitted."

"I'm not a civilian!"

"Then what are you?"

"Naruto Uzamaki, a ninja who will one day be the hokage!"

"That's nice. You two can wait for the lunch break, which is at 12:00." Naruto opened his mouth as if to argue some more, but I grabbed his arm and pulled him towards a couple of chairs. He glared at the lady behind the counter for a moment and then turned to me. I blushed at him and looked at the floor.

"What are we going to do, Hinata? I think Sakura still loves him..." Naruto's voice was sad and there was nothing I could think to say. Instead, I hugged him.

"It is 12:00. You brats can go back and visit the medical ninjas. But make it snappy, okay?" The lady snapped at us without looking up from her magazine. Naruto nodded and we ran down the hall. The doors were marked so it was easy enough to find the cozy little lunch room. Sakura sat by a big group of girls, Ino one of them. Ino shrieked and began waving at me ecstatically. I blushed as she yelled my name and introduced me to the other girls. Sakura glared at me in a way that made me uncomfortable and when I looked into her eyes I saw what I had seen in Sasuke's eyes before he left the village. The pair of dark orbs had been cold and unreachable, looking as though the had been betrayed without the hope of forgiving the offender. I shivered when I remembered Sasuke, he had always scared me. I did not understand for the life of me what was more attractive about Sasuke, a dark emo-like man, than Naruto, a gentle uplifting person. But that was not what was important. What was important was that there was still time for Naruto to talk to Sakura. That is if we could get her out of here for long enough to talk.

"Excuse me ladies, but I am gonna have to borrow Sakura for a second here!" Naruto said and then he grabbed Sakura's arm and pulled her out of her chair. All the girls around the table began giggling.

"LET GO OF ME!" Sakura shouted as she yanked her arm out of Naruto's hand. She glared at him, then at me. "Why are you two here?" She questioned us. Everyone in the room was silent and watching Naruto and Sakura. Sakura seemed to bask in the attention. Naruto just looked frusturated.

"Sakura, I am sick of your crap. Now come on! Either that or we can expose your little secret." Naruto glared at her while he said it. I would've told him to be careful but I couldn't find my voice. Something flickered behind Sakura's eyes and a sly smile spread across her face. The feeling of oncoming danger overwhelmed me and made it hard for me to breathe.

"What? Are you jealous? You could just apologize for being so rude yesterday." The smile on her face was so famliar...wait a second! "Or she could apologize for stealing someone else's boyfriend. She acts ooooh so nice, but when it comes down to it, what is she? A boyfriend thief." It took me a second to realize that she was talking about me. The smile on her face was not hers. It was the anger's. It was Sasuke's. Sasuke's anger was contagious and it spread to Sakura. We had a major problem on our hands. I turned byakugan on. Sakura's chakra was different. Her normal energy source was replaced with the hatred Sasuke had given her. She was lost to us. Gained to Sasuke.

"Sakura, you know that Hinata didn't do anything to split us apart!" Naruto yelled. I held my hand up.

"Naruto, it is too late. This anger that she has is controlling her. She is becoming more and more like Sasuke. We need to take her to see Tsunade by any means necessary." I said, preparing myself for battle.

"And what if I say no?" Sakura said, looking at us. "I haven't done anything wrong...yet." Naruto turned to Ino.

"Ino get all the doctors out of here and to safety." Naruto commanded and Ino nodded in return. She rushed them all out quickly, not wasting a moment of time.


	20. Chapter 20

Sasuke

My eyes scoured the now sunlight filled village of Konoha. Sakura should be in the hospital. I wonder if my plan is already working? Has Naruto yet found Sakura? I wanted him to see all of it, everything as it happened. The chakra infusion was probably my best idea yet. She was already so angry, and why shouldn't I learn to share? A small laugh escaped my lips, a laugh that was filled with the hatred I had for this village. It would be fun to destroy it, but I first must destroy Naruto. Sakura had given me the way, all I had to do was take it. She shouldn't have talked to me last night. What a fool! How fun will it be to watch Naruto see his childhood friend turn into a demon of pure hatred. This would hurt him more than just finding her dead, far more emotional pain! Sakura would join me in destroying this condemned place! I jumped down and ran along the buildings' roofs until I got a better angle on the hospital. Here I would watch it all as it happened. Every last bit of pain and struggle.


	21. Chapter 21

Sakura

I could probably fight off Hinata, but not Naruto. I had two choices, I could fight this battle with words or retreat. Or I could do both. I smiled and directed my glare to Hinata. I looked her up and down before I spoke.

"Are you happy?" I growled at her surprised face."This is all your fault! Naruto broke up with me so he could go out with you. It really ruined my day. You are the reason, the sole reason, I went to talk to Sasuke. The only thing you did was hurt Naruto. So answer the question. Are you happy?" Hinata's face gave me the desired effect, hurt spreading across it. The anger felt like it was trying to rip a hole in my belly. I needed a plan of escape. I needed the byakugan off of me.

"DON'T LOOK AT ME!" I shouted at Hinata. "You don't deserve to look at the damage you caused!" She looked at Naruto with pleading eyes. She didn't know what to do. I was putting her between a rock and a hard place. It felt good to put someone else in pain. I wonder if...a plan developed in my head. A wonderful, beautiful plan! Time for some infusions, and it looks like Hinata is the first person on the list.


	22. Chapter 22

Naruto

Sakura was off her block. There was something wrong with her chakra as well, I could see it in Hinata's face. I didn't know what, but we could talk about it after we had brought Sakura to Tsunade. Looking into those emerald eyes I knew something was wrong. There was something evil in her eyes. She looked over at Hinata, saw her byakugan and some new expression took over her face. Some realization and some new plan were shown in her eyes. I could read her like an open book. She was going to try to use chakra infusion n Hinata, that had to be it.

"Stop, Sakura! Don't let her touch you, Hinata!" I yelled and leaped over the table so that I stood in front of Hinata. Unfortunately, that left Sakura an open path to the window. She wasted no time in running over, breaking the glass and diving out. I heard her hit the ground ad by he time I made it to the window she was gone.

"We have to find her, Hinata." I said and looked into the byakugan without a fear in the world. The byakugan subsided from her face and she stared up at me."Please!" I begged.

"It might already be too late, Naruto." She said and I felt a bit of hope fall from my heart. "But I will go because I believe in never giving up." She said and I cheered.

"Thank you!" I said, happy to have someone to help me find and save Sakura. She only nodded, a distant thoughtful look on her face.

"Naruto, do you think we should go tell Tsunade?" She asked.

"Don't worry about that." Ino's voice came from the other side of the room and we turned to look at her. "I will go and report this to Tsunade. You two should go after Sakura and bring her back before she gets to Sasuke."

"Be careful, Ino." I said, giving her a nod of thanks.

"I should be the one telling you two that." She said before turning to walk out. I grabbed Hinata's hand and left the room with her. As we left the doctors and medical ninjas filed in to clean up the mess. I barely saw them I was so lost in my thoughts.


	23. Chapter 23

Sasuke

I growled as I leapt into the thicker part of the woods. Hatred filled me as a fact bounced around in my head: this was not going according to plan! The plan was Sakura fought Naruto, lost, and died. I didn't see a funeral for a pink-haired girl around here, now did I? I couldn't admit my plan didn't work and I couldn't tell Sakura that she should've died. What was I supposed to do? Maybe I could have Sakura lead Naruto to me and then fight him with her? No, I couldn't do that because the Hyuga girl was with Naruto and I wasn't in the mood to deal with byakugan. Even though the sharingan is dominant over the byakugan, the byakugan are still a pain in the butt. And I sure as heck didn't want that crazy Neji coming after me. He was a persistent creep, I would give him that. And he believed in revenge almost as much as I did. I jumped until I reached a waterfall area. I leapt up onto a large rock sitting in the deep hole the waterfall flowed into. It took only a matter of minutes for Sakura to reach where I stood. She leapt up onto the rock without my permission. I excused that for the time being, even though it made prickles of anger crawl up and down my arms. I reached out and grabbed her shoulder. I smiled as the chakra infusion began and I could feel Sakura's power growing. I would tell her my plan and give her my orders after she was powerful enough to kill the Hyuga and still heal me.


	24. Chapter 24

Hinata

There was barely enough time to grab my stuff. Luckily, no one was home to question me when I sprinted into the house and up into my room. I pulled out a duffel bag and stuffed it with shuriken, kunai, a change of clothes, food, water, and a sleeping bag. Then anything else that looked like it could be useful. The bag was heavy as I ran out of the room, and I checked the halls to make sure I didn't see anyone who would question where I was going. I ran to the counter to find two notes, my dad's saying he was out training with Hinabi and Neji's saying that he was on a date with Tenten. I smiled, those two were finally admitting their feelings for each other. It was nice to have some good news on a day as exhausting as today has proven to be so far. When I ran out of my house I found Naruto already waiting for me, his eyes searching my face.

"I'm ready to go, do you have everything you need?"

"Yes, I am ready, Naruto. Do you know where we should begin looking?"

"The woods. I am pretty sure Sakura ran that way." I nodded and began running along beside Naruto. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about it, but Naruto was very attractive when he was intense like this. I blushed and turned my head away from him with a giggle. I needed to focus on the mission, which was getting more crucial by the minute. It was hard to focus on anything around Naruto, though.


	25. Chapter 25

Naruto

As I ran I thought about Sakura and Hinata. All the things we had done together, all the adventures we had. How had I not noticed the anger growing inside Sakura? How had I not noticed the gentle beauty of Hinata? I sighed as I looked at Hinata. Neither of us had a clue where they were hiding and Sasuke would have time to infuse even more chakra with Sakura. What was their plan? They were probably planning on a sneak attack, or something dirty like that. I suddenly wished I hadn't brought Hinata with me, having her here would only put her in grave danger. They would hurt her to hurt me. Sakura knew we were dating, Hinata had probably told her when she was on the phone with her just this morning. This morning felt as if it had happened years ago. It was already the afternoon, nearly evening, and the light trickled through the trees and danced around us. It was beautiful, but dangerous. The different lights played with my peripheral vision and it would be hard to see a sneak attack. Hinata's eyes flashed into byakugan, she must have thought the same thing.

"Do you see them anywhere around us?" I asked, shocked by how weary my voice sounded.

"No, they are far off but they are growing stronger using chakra infusion. We might lose Sakura completely if this continues like this." Hinata's soft words coursed frustration through my veins.

"How did they get so far ahead of us?" I snapped, my voice sounding overly cruel. She shook her head and I realized I was being unfair with acting like this. "I'm sorry, Hinata. I shouldn't allow myself to become angry."

"It is okay, Naruto." Her voice was filled with so much forgiveness that it relaxed me despite the situation we were stuck in.

"You are a great woman." I said and I meant it with all my heart. She blushed, giggled, and turned away. My heart soared and I temporarily forgot the situation.


	26. Chapter 26

Sasuke

The chakra infusion was over and I was exhausted. I had given her a lot of my chakra, at least half. She looked as though she loved it, looking up and down her arms and closing her eyes just to feel the chakra and the hatred that had deeply been rooted into my soul. I smiled at that, because she had had a seed of this hatred in her soul and I had just watered it. Now it was nearly as deeply rooted as my own hatred. I looked around me, the place I had chosen to rest was dark under the trees and had a deadly aura about it. It had a damp, mysterious smell to it and I had been here many times before. These woods had become very familiar to me over the years and I even had a hideout. From the rock I currently sat on I sprung up and ran upstream on the water into the waterfall. I heard Sakura gasp in surprise but I ignored her. Behind the waterfall was my cave and I glared about it. There was only one tiny mattress with a thin blanket covering it. I grunted in frustration and wished that Sakura had brought her own sleeping bag or something. Where would she sleep? I guess we would have to share or something. But that would be a problem for consideration later and for now I had enough stuff to think about. The plan was roughly formulated and chancy. What if I wasn't strong enough to take on Naruto? I snorted at that thought, of course I was strong enough. The real problem was the Hygua wench who was so attached to Naruto, but with the chakra I had given Sakura she should be able to defeat her. I half-smiled as I dug through the chest I kept in the cave. Lots of clothes (all too big for Sakura), a flashlight, batteries, a water bottle, soap, and a dried piece of bread in a little baggie. I horked down the bread as Sakura wandered into my cave.

"Whatcha doing?" She asked, a big smile on her face.

"Looking for food." I grumbled in annoyance, praying for her to shut her trap.

"Guess whaaaaaaaaaaat!" She screeched and I winced before I responded.

"What?" I asked, rubbing my temples. She pulled something out of the little bag she had wrapped around her waist. I think it is called a franny pack.

"I've got this!" She said, a chunk of meat in her left hand and a chunk of cheese in her right hand, I turned and looked at her.

"Perfect. Rip both of the chunks in half." She did as I said and then handed me my halves. As I ate I noticed that Sakura had changed since I last saw her. She wasn't much taller but she seemed more mature...I just hoped she was stronger than the last time I saw her or the battle was already lost. She was certainly more intelligent. There was no way my new plan could fail unless Sakura took too long defeating Hinata. Hinata was the only element that could hurt my plan, unless Naruto proved to be far stronger than expected. Which I doubted if all hope was lost. For now, I needed to bathe. Which meant I needed to distract Sakura with something to do to guarantee no peeking. It was probably unlikely for someone like me to be modest, but I was indeed. I eventually convinced her to turn around and stay that way while I stripped down and stepped into the waterfall. The soap smelled like dust and tickled my nose. I heard someone giggle behind me and turned around to see Sakura shamelessly looking at me. She whipped around as I glared at her, but what had been seen could not be unseen. I blushed, which was something I hadn't done for a long time. I had been foolish to believe she would have respected me. She would be dead right now if she wasn't vital to my plan. I redressed and let her take her turn to bathe. I set the example to have respect for the other person's modesty by not turning around. As I waited new plans entered my mind for me to think over.


	27. Chapter 27

Hinata

It was dark as Naruto and I set up camp. There was something different though, something that had me on my toes. Maybe it was the fact that Naruto and I are were the only people in the woods and we were completely alone. Maybe it was that every time I turned around Naruto was staring at me with a sly look on his face. I smiled at him every time I saw him looking at me and he just kept giving me that look. The moonlight piercing through the thick darkness added a romantic feel to the air. The trees towered over us and it all felt as if it were in slow motion.

"I'll go look for firewood." I said, turning to see him giving me that look. I blushed and smiled back at him, then began walking towards the woods to look for dry sticks. I walked up to a tall tree and put my hand against it.

"Hinata." I heard Naruto whisper in my air. I whipped around to see Naruto's big blue eyes focused solely on me. My heart started beating so fast I thought it would burst out of my chest. I leaned my back against the tree, my purple jacket rubbing against the hard bark. Naruto leaned in even closer and rested his hand against the tree to my left. He relaxed his weight against the tree. Then he grabbed my hand, his fingers warm as they intertwined with mine. He stared into my eyes for a moment. Then he leaned in a bit closer.

"You are really something special." His voice whispered and then he leaned even closer until his lips meant mine. We stayed like that for a second until he broke away, smiled and winked, then walked off to find some fire wood. I didn't move from the tree, shocked at what just happened. My lips were warm and tasted delicious. Like ramen.


	28. Chapter 28

Sakura

Who knew that Sasuke was so easy to embarrass. He was the king of modesty! It was so much fun they should make it a sport. It should be called: Who can turn Sasuke red first?

"So, Sasuke, are we going to share that bed?" I asked in the most provocative voice I could muster. His face, without fail, turned red. That was about my tenth crack about the mattress being so small and every time I said that he blushed. I laughed again, and his blush turned even redder.

"Leave me alone or I will slit your throat." He growled his empty threat, but the way he said it was so menacing that I decided to give him a little timeout. Instead, I thought about the plan he had made. Anger coursed through me at the thought of Naruto and Hinata, but I didn't know if I had it in me to kill them. Of course I had it in me, who was I kidding? Besides which, if it proved my love and eternal allegiance to Sasuke then I could do it. Hinata was untrustworthy and a boyfriend-stealer anyway. But was I sure of this? Something deep in my core told me to follow what Sasuke said and my heart agreed. But thenagain, should I trust Sasuke completely? I should probably think of my own plans or he could lead me like a lamb to the slaughter. That was too dangerous of a thing to risk and I knew that Sasuke could be a cold-hearted killer, no matter what my heart told me. No matter how red his face turned. And just like that I am not sleeping tonight. Oh well, sleep is overrated anyway.


	29. Chapter 29

Naruto

"Think for a moment and be completely honest with yourself: have you ever done anything so dumb that you have sat for a long time and regretted it in a nervous panic-like state that made you shake and feel as if you've had too much soda?" Loggy had no response to my question. I turned and looked at sticky. "You?" No sign of life once more. I threw both of the chunks of wood over my shoulder in frustration at how low I had sunk and the fact that no matter how I goofed off, the problem was not solving itself. What was wrong with me? How stupid could I get? "Awww, man! I really screwed this up!" I almost wish Sakura was here to hit some sense into me. Ha! Yeah right. At least my pathetic sense of humor was still here to amuse me. I wonder if Hinata just turned and walked all the way back to the village. I wonder if she is thinking that I am a total weirdo/loser/some other terrible name to describe the dismal failure that I currently felt like. What had possessed me to do something like that? And what about making a mistake made me feel the need to talk to sticks? I have watched too many movies...that is the only answer to the stick thing. As I ran my fingers through my spiky hair. I could only wait for Hinata's return and hope for the best.


	30. Chapter 30

Sakura

I woke up to sunlight and birds chirping. I ran my hand through my pink hair as I pulled myself up off the ground. Sasuke was still fast asleep. Last night we had played rock paper scissors over who got the bed and, needless to say, he won. Every muscle in my body ached from the hard rock but other than that I was ready to take on the world. This was the first time in my whole life I had actually woke up happy. I guessed it was do to Sasuke being so close to me and I smiled at him. It took me a second to realize just how creepy that was. I shook my head as I stumbled around, stiff as a I-don't-know-what-but-something-stiff. It was too early to think of similes. I began to stretch out, surprised by my lack of flexibility. Then I went over towards the waterfall, I could take a bath before Sasuke woke up. The water was cold and seemed to bite at my bare skin and left me shivering and shaking like an earthquake. I heard something bump around in the cave. Should I go check? It was probably just Sasuke waking up. But probably didn't cut the mustard. Sasuke could be getting attacked and I wouldn't know. It was too early for me to decipher the fact that if he was being attacked there would be more noise. I jumped out of the water and ran towards the cave.

"SAAAAAASUKE!" I yelled as I ran, the probability that there was a deadly attack that was threatening Sasuke's life becoming more likely. I stumbled into the cave. Sasuke turned around, his face annoyed at first. Then surprised. Then just plain Hinata-red and he flipped around as I squealed and covered myself with my hands. I ran back outside and jumped into the water, sinking until as little of me as possible showed. In that moment I realixed that, without a doubt, I was the definition of idiot.


	31. Chapter 31

Hinata

I stretched out and pulled myself out of my sleeping bag. Naruto's sleeping bag was empty and I was really starting to think that he was purposely avoiding me. Last night he was asleep when I came back and now he was up and gone.

"You up?" I heard Naruto's voice say. Guilt consumed me for thinking that Naruto would try to avoid me. I turned and smiled at him.

"Good morning!" I said as cheerfully as I could.

"Sorry about the...you know..." He said, running a hand through his spiky hair and nearly dropping the logs he held in his other hand. I giggled.

"I actually...well, um..." The words I had spent all night thinking about to say to him were gone. They had fled my mind without a trace of proof that I had ever even thought of them.

"Enjoyed it?" His voice held a tune of hopefulness that was unmistakeable. The hopefulness gave me one of my classic blushes that I now realized I haven't had for a while.

"Yeah...I think that was what I was going to say." I blushed and couldn't meet his eyes. He laughed.

"You being embarrassed too makes me feel a bit better." He plopped down next to me on the sleeping bag and I dropped my head onto his reminded me of the sunset we had spent together and the butterflies fluttered though my stomach. I closed my eyes and wished, once more, that we could stay like this forever. The perfect moments don't last long enough.


	32. Chapter 32

Sasuke

How stupid can a person get? Sakura either wanted to show off or she had reached those levels. Honestly, this was humiliating. I decided to look at it as revenge for her peeking on me. When she came back into the cave she didn't say a word to me but her face was bright red.

"Ha!" I shouted at her and she looked up at me."This is a nice turn of events! It looks as though your own medicine has been given back to you!" She blinked and stared at me.

"Don't you mean that I have had a taste of my own medicine?" Sakura asked as she stared at me blankly. Anger heated my cheeks.

"It is the same thing!" She laughed and shook her head.

"Whatever." I stared in disbelief before the anger rooted in my core made me explode like a volcano. Of all the disrespect!

"What did you just say to me?" I growled and she didn't take the hint to beg for forgiveness.

"I said whatever."

"You do not talk to ME like THAT!" I turned around and saw how angry I was. Then she took the hint.

"Oh! Sorry, my fault, I didn't mean to be offensive!" She said then scurried away and out of the cave to leave me alone to deal with my anger. I fumed like the fires of hell in all of my anger. I hated not knowing what to do when I got so angry, and I was forced to do the only reasonable thing. Turn the anger into chakra.


	33. Chapter 33

Naruto

Hinata and I had quickly packed up camp and had just started walking again when Hinata turned on her byakugan. She gasped.

"What is it?" I asked quickly, the look on her face making me nervous.

"There is boatloads of Sasuke's chakra! Where did it all come from?" Her voice was agitated and I felt just as perturbed as she looked.

"We better hurry then!" I said, as if that made any sense. But she nodded and we both began sprinting, her leading me to where Sasuke's chakra was located. I didn't ask if she felt Sakura's chakra even though that was my main worry. His chakra only tended to get so large if he was majorly fuming. Fuming meaning angry beyond belief. If he was that angry Sakura had probably done something. She could be dead for all I knew. If that was so, did I really want Hinata going near him? I should honestly trust her more as a ninja, but I didn't want her to get hurt. If he so much as touched a hair on her head his anger would not compare to mine. I closed my eyes, I needed to think of battle strategies. It would be useful to be Shikamaru right now, but I wasn't and I needed to do the best with what I had. If Sakura was still here and on Sasuke's side Hinata could take her on. But could I take Sasuke on by myself? I wouldn't know if I didn't try. Plus, Tsunade will have sent reinforcements by now that included medical ninjas so if one of us did get hurt we would have other people to take Sasuke and Sakura down and still end up okay. I closed my eyes because somewhere I knew that it wouldn't end that pretty. Not if Sasuke had his way.


	34. Chapter 34

Sasuke

It was unfortunate that so much chakra came with Naruto and Hinata being able to find me. I walked outside to see Sakura hugging her knees to her body and shaking. I beckoned her to come over to me.

"Are you afraid?" I growled.

"I am afraid, but not of you. Of how I ended up here." I could barely believe she would have the guts to say something like that to me, but I ignored it. I walked over and sat beside her.I grabbed her shoulder and for a moment she looked as though she was going to knock my hand off, but then she just closed her eyes and let the chakra flow. She became more powerful once more, but something still bothered me. I pushed the thought out of my mind, all would go according to plan.


	35. Chapter 35

Hinata

With my byakugan on I watched Sakura's chakra quickly grow more powerful. Her chakra was nearly as large as Sasuke's when the chakra infusion was over and I had began to get nervous. Sakura had excellent chakra control and with that much chakra she would be a formidable opponent. I would probably end up fighting Sakura because Naruto would want to fight Sasuke. I also could not take on Sasuke and Naruto could defeat Sasuke. At least I hoped, but I also knew that Naruto never gave up. He could do this and so could I. We were getting closer to the dark chakra and Naruto was getting antsy. I couldn't blame him since I felt the same way. I closed my eyes and prayed that Tsunade's reinforcements were coming fast. I didn't want anyone to get hurt.


	36. Chapter 36

Sakura

I closed my eyes. What was I doing? Why did I follow Sasuke here? Is it because I love him? He most certainly doesn't love me, I am just a weapon to him. It must be that we both share this consuming anger that ran to our cores and made me tingle with hatred that wasn't even mine. The anger was controlling me once more and there was nothing I could do to fight sick part was that I enjoyed how it felt, the compulsion to destroy everything in your path, the tightening in your chest until you couldn't breathe. I gasped for air as I opened my eyes. The brightness didn't fit how I felt. I felt emo or something. I belonged in shadows, the only home to real emotions like hatred and anger. Hatred, anger, and love were the only real emotions. Love looked differently in my mind then it should, it looked shady and evil. Love was an intense feeling of deep affection that ran to your core. In that aspect love was much like anger, a deep feeling that ran to your core. At the edge of the trees two figures emerged. I needed to have my revenge on them, these two people who had ruined my life. I glared into the pairs of blue and purple eye.

"I've got Naruto. You get the Hyuga." Sasuke said with a chilling voice.

"Got it. I will come help you when I am done." I said with certainty. Hinata was to weak to take me on. This will be easy as pie. Sasuke darted off and Naruto nodded at Hinata. I couldn't hear what they said but Hinata smiled at him and positioned herself for battle. Naruto darted off, no doubt chasing Sasuke into the trees for a battle that my Sasuke would win. I like the sound of that, MY Sasuke. He was most certainly mine. The fear that I had made the wrong choice that had filled me earlier had dissolved and I felt free now. As a free woman I could do what I wanted that included beating some pesky little Hyuga to a bloody pulp.


	37. Chapter 37

Hinata

I was caught between a rock and a hard place. I didn't want to kill Sakura, she was a friend, but I new she was willing to kill me. It was too late to use words and I had to be wise and put my life over the enemies. It is hard when that enemy is an old friend. We had gone to ninja academy together, chunin exams, even so much as trained together when there was nothing to do.

"Sakura, please don't make us fight." I said, wishing that my voice had sounded less shaky. Less like I could be knocked over with a strong wind.

"It is too late for words!" She said as she began running forward, straight at me. I dodged the punch, she had anticipated that I would dodge and swiveled around to punch me in the gut. Once more I dodged, but this time I struck a few pressure points on her stomach. I leapt away as she blindly struck out, her left hand clutching her stomach as she did so.

"With all the time we spent training you should know not to fight me close range by now." I said, proud that my voice sounded stronger. She looked up at me and I felt her chakra dampening the air. She had so much chakra that this battle could last forever. She straightened up and smiled at me, then immediately punched the ground. There was so much chakra in her hand as she punched the ground that an earthquaked erupted that rivaled Tsunade's. And Tsunade could punch. The ground shook and in the moment I lost my balance I also lost track of Sakura. Then I felt something punch the back of my head and dizzying pain flowed through me. The world around me was tinted red and the ground still seemed to shake. As my vision cleared up I saw Sakura standing there, an amused look on her face.

"You should know not to loose track of me with all the days we have trained. Or it WILL kill you." She was pleased with herself and I watched as she approached me, a plan of my own forming in my head. A scalpel was pulled out of her pouch that she had used to help many people. Now she was going to try to use it to kill me. She picked me up and pulled back the knife, holding me in the air. In the moment she was about to strike I hit every pressure point I could remember, glad that Neji had made me practice so feverently. He was right when he said it was the difference between life and death. She staggered backwards and dropped me, shaking and clutching herself. A thin line of blood trickled out of her mouth. She fell to the ground as I picked myself up. I walked over to her and there was an unreadable expression on her face. I reached my hand out to her.

"I am sorry Sakura. Will you come back to the village?" A look crossed her face and then she grabbed my hand. Suddenly my hand felt as though it was on fire. I tried to scream but I couldn't as emotions flowed through me that I had never felt before. I thought I had been angry or hateful but this was different, very different. I felt as though I was being posessed and I screamed but no noise came out. Black filled my eyes and I couldn't see anything even though my eyes were open. I heard Sakura laughing in the distance and then she said something I couldn't understand. I felt like I was trapped in a box. The I could suddenly see again. The brightness hurt my eyes. Then my body stood up but I wasn't controlling it. It was like I was watching someone else walk. Then I realized I had just had a chakra infusion.


	38. Chapter 38

Sakura

By the time I had reached the place Sasuke and Naruto were fighting they were pretty deep into their battle. Blood poured from Sasuke's eye and Naruto was looking more fox-like then he had when I first saw him. He paused at the sight of me, the expression on his face was shock. Sasuke had a proud smile on his face, as if he thought I had won.

"Where's Hinata?" Naruto asked, his voice worried. I smiled at him. He had a surprise coming his way. "WHERE IS HINATA?!" He asked as he glared at me, thinking that speaking louder would affect me.

"I am right here." Hinata's voice came from behind me and I stepped aside so he could see her.

"Thank God! Are you okay?" The worry on his face was sickening. Hinata had a blank, hollow expression on her face. "What is wrong with her?" He asked, looking at me desperately. At that moment Sasuke chose to attack and leaped at Naruto with chidori. Since Sasuke was advancing I attacked Naruto as well. Naruto grabbed Sasuke's chidori-hand and flipped him over so that he hit the ground with a loud 'thunk!' He stepped on Sasuke's chest so that he was stuck for he time being. Then he ducked down so that I flew over him, grabbing my leg while I was mid-trip and throwing me through the air so that I hit the ground hard. He payed me hardly any attention and instead turned to Hinata who was also attacking him. He could do all he wanted, he was going to run out of steam with a three-on-one. Especially when that included Sasuke. Sasuke, meanwhile, had another chidori and was charging Naruto who had a rasengan. The blast of power from those two forces meeting knocked me back a bit farther. What really got me was what Naruto did next. A raseshurikan flying through the air. I am pretty sure it affected all four of us, I was sent flying backwards and when I stopped tumbling I ached down in my bones. Dust had kicked up all around us from the force of his attack. Then I felt it, an arm grabbing me.

"Come on Sakura, we have to retreat for now. Heal me first, though." I looked at Sasuke, he had been right next to Naruto when the raseshurikan happened, and was surprised to see him mostly in tact. Then he pulled back a large part of his pants to reveal his left leg, bloody and torn open. He was lucky that was all he had suffered from such a powerful blast.


	39. Chapter 39

Hinata

As I rolled along the ground I felt pathetic. The chakra was still rooted into me and I could do nothing about it. Except watch. I wanted to close my eyes and die, how could I attack Naruto? At least his raseshuriken had left me immobile and harmless for the moment. I watched Naruto emerge from the cloud of dust that reminded me of an old western movie. He walked over to me.

"I'm sorry, Hinata. It had to be done." I wanted to hug him and tell him that I deserved to be hurt for letting Sakura trick me, but what he did next shocked me. He picked me up and cradled me in his arms and I felt warm and bubbly, not angry and hateful. It was a wonderful feeling that I immediately realized was the result of a chakra infusion with Naruto. The feeling returned to my fingers, but with such feeling and control over myself came the pain of battle injuries. The throbbing in the back of my head all he way to the bloody cuts I had collected along my limbs. I laid in his arms as I waited for the reinforcements to arrive.I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of his breathing and dwelled on the fact that I was so purely, obviously in love with Naruto.

The End


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